94 points James Halliday: "*Special Value Selection* Pale, bright quartz-green; a great example of what the Yarra Valley can give to Chardonnay by getting the picking date right, allowing the winemaking to fill a QA role, simply protecting what the vineyard(s) has given - here a wine of great purity, energy, drive and length, citrus and stone fruit (in that order) driving the engine." (2/2014)K&L Notes:
Made by 20+ year veteran Yarra Valley winemaker David Bicknell. David is considered by many as one of the best Chardonnay producers in all of Australia. The Over The Shoulder label is basicall...
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90 points Wine Enthusiast: "All fresh blackberry juice with sweetness and power. The wine has richness, along with considerable charming freshness." (3/2011) Jancis Robinson: "36% of production. 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot. Very rich and sweet on the nose. Easy and sweet and quite delicate. Very dry on the finsh but utterly charming and flattering until you get to that slightly drying finish." (4/2010) Wine Spectator: "Chocolate and berry character on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied, with a soft tannin structure and light finish. (Web-2010)"K&L Notes:
This wine is stunning. The little brother of Tronquoy Lalande and owne...
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95 points Bob Campbell: "Deliciously restrained Sauvignon Blanc with mineral, citrus/pink grapefruit, and nutty lees/brioche characters. It has a great almost ethereal texture and plenty of weight and yet boasts tantalising purity. Very sophisticated Sauvignon Blanc with concentration and power. Tasted in a vertical line-up going back to the first vintage in 2004. This vintage earned top rating with 2013 although the earlier vintage is a an overtly fruitier and more accessible style. 2014 is probably a better food wine." (11/2014)93 points Raymond Chan: "Bright, pale straw-yellow colour with slight green...Read More »

91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 1999 Gran Reserva has an enticing red cherry, soy and cedar-scented bouquet that is reminiscent of an old Burgundy. The palate is very well-balanced with fine acidity and edgy tannin. There are notes of fresh red cherries and orange rind interlaced by leather on the tart, highly enjoyable, zesty finish. Drink now-2018. (NM)" (8/2012)K&L Notes:
Wow--this is spectacular Gran Reserva! Made in a traditional style with earthy red fruit aromas, and in this relatively cooler, damper vintage, a slightly Burgundian profile. The wine features good acidity, minerality, and...
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One of our most popular rosés, this fresh and balanced wine comes from one of our favorite co-ops in the south of France. It's a blend of Syrah and Grenache growing in volcanic soils in the heart of the Languedoc. With aromas and flavors of ripe strawberries and raspberries, this crisp, medium-bodied rosé is an ideal complement to spring green salads, light cheeses, mac and cheese, mozzarella cheese salads, goat cheese, cheese and crackers with olives and salumi...or enjoy as an evening aperitif, cheese optional.

The winegrowing estate of Chateau les Valentines is more than a century old. The estate originally brought their grapes to the local cooperative, but when Gilles and Pascale Pons took over in 1997, they decided to make their own wine. They built a modern winery and called the domaine "Les Valentines" after their children, Valentin and Clémentine. Château les Valentines now covers approximately 100 acres. The "Le Caprice de Clémentine" is part of the second range of wines coming from the estate. Moderately priced, it is a high quality Côtes de Provence m...
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93 points James Suckling: "A beautifully layered red with dark chocolate, berry and light vanilla character. Full body plus ultra-fine tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Delicious now." (7/2014)K&L Notes:
Winery history: "In 2005, the Bonnie family, owner of the renowned Château Malartic-Lagravière (Grand Cru Classé de Graves) and of the Château Gazin Rocquencourt (Pessac-Léognan), decided to leave France in search for new horizons in the world of wine. It all began with the acquisition, along with their partners, of a single 130-hectares (321 acres) block of land in the heart of the Uco V...
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Sancerre at half the price! The Fournier family, with roots as deep as their vines in this region, seem to be related to just about everyone in some way. They've been farming and producing wines in Sancerre for generations. We are pleased to have been offered this wine, yet again, at such a great price. Soft, subtle mineral notes are wrapped up in aromatics of melon and citrus. Clean, bright and refreshing, this is a perfect little Sauvignon Blanc. Tropical fruit, citrus and spice aromas and flavors, with vibrant acidity and minerality. Perfect for goat ...
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94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Cropped from a vintage deemed almost perfect, the 2005 Viña Ardanza Reserva follows the same varietal mix found in the last vintages; 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha. The grapes are always sourced from the same vineyards, 30-year-old Tempranillo from Fuenmayor and Cenicero in Rioja Alta and Garnacha from Tudelilla in Rioja Baja. In the case of the 2005, it was racked six times during its elevage. The one bottle I tasted first was a bit evolved with plenty of cigar ash, incense and leather along with hung game (woodcock came to mind). But the palate was ...Read More »

93-95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Still not in bottle (it will be in bottle by the time you read this), the 2013 Coteaux du Languedoc la Closerie du Pic is an incredible looking barrel sample that's made from equal parts Syrah and Grenache, with the Syrah aged in barrel (some new) and the Grenache in concrete tank. It exhibits terrific amounts of cassis and black raspberry fruit to go with additional notes of pepper, smoked meats, violets and crushed rock. Full-bodied, beautifully pure, layered and elegant, yet rich and textured, it should drink nicely on release, yet also evolve gracefu...Read More »

Classic pink Provence blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Cinsault and 20% Syrah. Notes from the winemaker: "Light pink in color, with violet shades, this wine possesses a memorable and complex aroma. A lively wine that is smooth and possessing a certain sweetness. Very fruity, this rosé is particularly well suited as an aperitif or with salads and vegetable dishes."

A bright clean appearance with fresh lime green hues. The bouquet shows pleasing aromas of grapefruit and white peach, with a floral lift. On the palate this medium-bodied, dry wine has a refreshing and moreish character. Mouthwatering acidity is balanced by an elegant, mineral finish. Sourced from a vareity of vineyards throughout Marlborough's various subregions: Wairau, Waihopai, Dillion's Point and Blenheim. An exceptional value in classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc!

96 points James Suckling: "Fabulous aromas of oranges, peaches and mahogany follow through to a full body with rich, chewy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. This is dense, tight, powerful, compressed and incredibly structured. Needs four to five years of bottle age to come out of its dormancy." (1/2015)94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is a ripe and fruit-forward expression that bursts with energy and red fruit intensity even at this young stage in the wine's life. Thick layers of cherry, blackberry, cassis, vanilla and cinnamon give the wine a bold, opulent personality. The tann...Read More »

We love these wines for their freshness, charm and affordability, and this is easily our best value Sancerre in the store. From soils of clay and chalk in the village of Bue near the Domaine. The Millet keeps you coming back for more. It is vinified entirely in stainless steel to preserve the wonderful citrus and slightly grassy aromatics and gentle mineral finish.

Wine Spectator: "Soft, delivering ginger, brioche and pear notes, with a friendly, open finish. Drink now. (Web Only—2013)"K&L Notes:
A pale yellow wine with tiny bubbles, this Cremant de Loire Brut is rounded and delicate with a fine, nervy, complex nose and the freshness of Chenin Blanc, floral Chardonnay and fruity Cabernet Franc from 20- to 30-year-old vines. With its lively attack, it evolves gracefully across the palate with nice aromatic persistence in the mouth and lingering notes of fresh peaches and pear. A great opener to a memorable night! 12.5% abv. (Eric Story, Loire B...
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At first we couldn't believe our mouths. We knew that Cut Spike single malt had just taken Double Gold honors at the 2014 San Francisco Spirits competition (the highest possible honor), so obviously other people thought it was good, too. But after tasting so many mediocre American attempts at single malt whisky, we had become accustomed to the idea that the Scottish style of distillation would never be recreated here at home. There would be spin-offs, and experimental grasps at greatness, but that supple, malty profile would simply be something we needed...
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Third-generation family domaine owned by Franck and Betty Millet in the village of Bué. This rosé of 100-percent Pinot Noir is a blend of pressed juice and saignee juice, and matches beautifully with Asian food. From the winery: "Nice light rosé, salmon-coloured with a pleasant fruity aroma. Sancerre Rosé is a well-constituted wine due to its semi-tannic structure."

This Chardonnay is produced by the three brothers Couillaud at the Château de la Ragotière, a few minutes from the Atlantic near the mouth of the Loire River, where the maritime climate is ideal for producing whites that are refreshing and bright. The Couillauds age most of this wine on its lees until bottling to add weight and texture with around 10% being barrel-fermented in French oak for the faintest touch of toastiness. Saveur magazine wrote about a previous vintage: "This value-priced Chardonnay tastes crisp and bright. It comes from the western Lo...
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Costieres de Nimes is at the southernmost part of the Rhone Valley sitting on the opposite bank of Chateauneuf du Pape. One of our best new finds is Chateau de l'Ermitage which produces three terrific values with imminent drinkability. The estate's history traces back to the 12th century when the winery produced wine for the pilgirms of Saint Jacques de Compostelle who were traveling the Santiago de Compostela. The property is now owned by Castillon family and today Michel and his son Jerome manage the vineyards and winemaking. The "Victor" is named ...
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Wine Enthusiast: "Here’s a Prosecco Brut with a fuller, more generous personality that comes across in the form of peach, nectarine and grapefruit aromas. The wine has a light, golden color and offers frothy cream backed by a tight citrus finish." (7/2009)K&L Notes:
San Venanzio has won many awards over the years. At K&L they get the coveted "Guido" award two thumbs up and three stars for value. On the nose, there are generous notes of apples, peaches, tropical fruits and pear blossom. It’s wonderfully balanced and elegant, with a pleasurable spiciness. The palate is rich and creamy,...
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The 2013 vintage has yet to be reviewed, but the 2012 garnered 96 points from Robert Parker: "They appear to be immune to some of winedom’s less than intelligent trends and fads that we see from time to time." That bottling from the '12 vintage (which celebrated their 40th anniversary) was the single largest selling wine for us over the past year. Given that '13 is also an excellent vintage (a twin to '12), we expect lots of interest for this Napa benchmark.

Mas Codina is a 40 hectare estate in Penedès which dates back to 1681. This Brut Reserva Cava was hand-harvested from 20 to 30-year-old vines and estate bottled. Though it does not say it on the label, the current disgorgement is based entirely on the 2010 harvest. Vines are planted in calcareous and sandy clay soils which keep the wine minerally and lively. The wine undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle, and is aged on its lees for a minimum of two years before disgorgement. Varietals include Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. 100% ...
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94 points Wine Enthusiast: "*Cellar Selection* From one of the top estates in Cahors, this complex, dense wine is both structured and packed with great fruit. At the moment, the tannins are in charge, big, bold and dense. Over the next few years the opulent black fruits will come out strongly, bringing richness along with impressive concentration. Drink from 2019." (8/2015)K&L Notes:
These days, when you think of Malbec you often think of Argentina. But the Cahors appellation in South West France is the ancestral home of this black grape, situated in the high country (Haut Pays), equidistant f...
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93 points Wine Spectator: "A creamy-textured, charming style that’s easy to drink yet is deceptively complex and layered, with a mix of vanilla-scented oak and vibrant peach, nectarine, honeydew and apricot flavors. Long on the finish. Drink now." (5/2015) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The attractive, sexy 2013 Chardonnay reveals ripe fruit, tangerine oil and citrus blossom notes, medium body, a fresh style, and a delicate hint of wood. Drink it over the next 2-3 years. It is a sleeper selection. (RP)" (10/2014)K&L Notes:
It's back! True, Rombauer's Chardonnay needs to take its own sweet time, fattening up for 10 months in ...
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Lovely Angeline, always a value, but never cheap... This wine comes to us from Sonoma County's Martin Ray Winery, owned by Courtney Benham (creator of the Blackstone brand). This multi-county blend of Pinot Noir has been well-received in recent years, maybe not tipping the point-scales over 90, but earning consistent praise for its solid, varietal character and good value.

Wine & Spirits: "Ripe and sweet with honeysuckle notes on the tropical fruit, this is a summertime patio pounder. (Good Value)" (4/2015)K&L Notes:
The Etz family has been in the wine business since 1898, and the estate is now in the fourth generation. With nearly 40 hectares of vineyard in production, the Etz estate prides itself on synthesizing the modern and the traditional. Their goal is to offer wines that show themselves from vineyard to bottle entirely in harmony with nature and the environment, from parcels planted around the famous wine-town Strass. Gaisberg, Galgenberg (tha...
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A perennial staff and customer favorite, this Vinho Verde continues to deliver the goods, the fizzy, citrus-drenched, delicious goods. If you're looking for a poolside, picnic or patio sipper, this wine never disappoints. Grapes in this wine typically include Trajadura, Alvarinho, and Arinto.

This Carato is a blend of 75% Sangiovese, 15% Merlot and 10% Ciliegiolo and is just delicious; full, fleshy, voluptuous, sumptuous, truly hedonistic. It spends 10 months in Slavonian and American oak barriques, and we think at this price you too will be saying wow!

We couldn't be more excited to bring you another installment in what hopefully will turn out to be a long, fruitful project with wineries from around the United States, working with us directly to make exclusive bottlings for our customers. The Domestic team here at K&L has spent a great deal of time kicking around the idea of approaching wineries or winemakers we love, and asking them to work with us to create exclusive wines to our specifications. Furthermore we wanted to not only promote these outstanding wines, but the wineries behind them (rather th...
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Bench is one of the labels of Brack Mountain Wine Company, which sources this Pinot Noir mostly from the Sangiacomo vineyard in the Sonoma Coast AVA. Great aromatics of red fruit and orange peel and a smooth finish.

91 points Wine Spectator: "Vibrant, with nicely packed raspberry, fig and blackberry fruit carried by mouthwatering acidity and well-embedded structure. Lots of anise, spice and tar frames the finish. Stéphane Derenoncourt consulting here. Best from 2012 through 2019." (3/2012)K&L Notes:
The blend for the 2009 Château Maison Blanche is 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc. The Cabernet Franc is usually not included in this wine, but was in 2009 because it came in so perfectly. This is stunningly delicious...blackberries and toasty oak abound. Will cellar well for five-pl...
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One of K&L's very finest buys from France. This is a reserve cuvée, made from Millet's chalkiest limestone soils. There is a long maceration at very low temperatures to extract as much flavor and character as possible. The resulting wine is intensely charged with stone fruit and minerality, with bright citrus notes. However, due to the amazingly warm vintage, it's quite soft, with layers of rich fruit.

The 2013 Rickshaw Pinot Noir is the fifth vintage from the team at Banshee Wines. As difficult as it is to produce excellent Pinot Noir, it is even more difficult to do so at a fine value. In their development of the Banshee label, the winemakers gained a stable of quality sources for Pinot fruit from the finest AVAs in California, and Rickshaw was born out of this bounty. The largest share of fruit is sourced from the Sonoma Coast, followed by Anderson Valley and the Central Coast. The appeal of the wine is driven by its balance of fruit and earth tones...
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91 points Wine Enthusiast: "This beautiful Pinot Noir is a blend of various vineyards throughout the appellation. It shows classic coastal acidity, dryness and silkiness, with appealing raspberry, red licorice, cola and pomegranate flavors, wrapped into finely ground tannins. Decant and drink now." (6/2014) Antonio Galloni: "Sweet red berries, mint, flowers, hard candy and spices all inform the 2012 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast), the only 2012 Pinot that was in bottle at the time of this tasting. The 2012 is quite a bit racier and silkier than the 2011, a wine I have enjoyed on multiple occasions. There i...Read More »

Wine & Spirits: "Gentle strawberry fruit fills this soft rosé, its zesty finish keeping it clean. A fine aperitif." (4/2014) Wine Enthusiast: "Full, ripe wine, layered with fruits and a dry, more mineral core. The wine has good depth of flavor, strawberries, red currants and a citrus cut that keeps the wine fresh at the end." (11/2013)K&L Notes:
This delightful sparkling rosé wine comes from Burgundy. It is made of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Gamay Noir. The charming eye of the swan color comes from the addition of Pinot Noir to the wine when the lees are disgorged, following the traditional fermentation in...
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Once in a great while you find wines from the Mâcon so good that tasting them blind you are forced to apply some much higher (and more expensive) appellation to it. Often, such a wine comes from hillside vineyards, with better drainage and cooler nights. This is such a wine, from the slopes below the giant monolith of rock that is Solutré. Domaine Renaud is a small operation, making Mâcon, Pouilly-Fuissé and St. Veran from 12 hectares of estate vineyards. Their cellar is modern, and they use upright ovals for many of the wines, and stainless for others. ...
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Light and pale in color with fresh crunchy strawberries on the nose and chalky minerals in the back ground. Fresh and light on the palate with a good focus of fruit throughout. This is a very well made rosé and deserves some more time in the bottle or, even a couple of hours in a decanter. Will go well with pretty much any style or type of food you can throw at it. (Eric Story, Loire Buyer)

Jancis Robinson: "Bright ruby. Minty, refreshing nose. Juicy and with just a hint of wet fur but basically good for a wine with this amount of bottle age. Dry finish. Good energy here. (16.5/20 points)" (10/2014) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Elegant, spicy, tobacco, cranberry, and red cherry characteristics emerge from this finesse-styled, sweet, flavorful, medium-bodied wine. Already delicious as well as complex, it is best consumed over the next decade. (RP)" (4/2001) Wine Spectator: "Plenty of cherry, tobacco and mineral aromas. Medium- to full-bodied, with fine tannins and a medium finish. Best after 2004. 3,330 case...Read More »

The Union de Vingerons de l'Ile de Beaute (UVIB) is an association of growers on the island of Corsica based near the town of Aléria. Their wine the Terra Santa Rosé is 100% Sciaccarellu, a grape native to the island. It is a pale pink with crisp berry fruit notes of white raspberry and strawberry. The beauty of Corsican rosés is the intensity and texture of the wines. Discover the region with this terrific value.

91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2012 Chaman Malbec Reserva is from La Consulta from vines planted in 2006, has ripe aromas of dark cherries, and is juicy and spicy, floral and perfumed, with ripe, sweet tannins, good acidity and pure, clean flavors that call for the next sip, like an explosion in the mouth, with a salty, tasty, mineral finish. Great Malbec and even better price. Drink now-2018." (4/2014)K&L Notes:
Luis Reginato, a real student of winemaking as well as organic viticulture (he is a particular fan of Randall Graham's writings), produces this Malbec from fruit grown exclusively in...
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As is the case with so many other great spots in Spain, Bodega Casa Juan is located opposite the village church, in the beautiful walled pueblo of Laguardia. The winery is a converted flour mill, featuring concrete tanks for fermenting and blending the wine, and for ageing, barrels that are used for up to seven years. These are traditional Riojas in elaboration and spirit, though the site specificity of their Laguardia and Villabuena vineyards confers a fruit character all its own to these wines. And what fruit! Especially in the great 2009 vintage, the ...
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From the brewery: "Bell's Two Hearted Ale is defined by its intense hop aroma and malt balance. Hopped exclusively with the Centennial hop varietal from the Pacific Northwest, massive additions in the kettle and again in the fermenter lend their characteristic grapefruit and pine resin aromas. A significant malt body balances this hop presence; together with the signature fruity aromas of Bell's house yeast, this leads to a remarkably drinkable American-style India Pale Ale."

I met winemaker Sophie Guiraudon this past winter at the organic wine fair Millesime Bio. It's an annual event where organic winemakers from all over the world gather to show their wines. I tasted with her and was immediately impressed with the quality of the wines. So much so, I made an arrangements to visit her winery right after the fair ended. Sophie is a true one woman show, farming 25 acres of vines while running her humble facility in the region of Corbieres. The vines for the "Lolo" cuvee are planted on silty-clay limestone soils which len...
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Once in a great while you find wines from the Mâcon so good that tasting them blind you are forced to apply some much higher (and more expensive) appellation to it. Often, such a wine comes from hillside vineyards, with better drainage and cooler nights. This is such a wine, from the slopes below the giant monolith of rock that is Solutré. Domaine Renaud is a small operation, making Mâcon, Pouilly-Fuissé and St. Veran from 12 hectares of estate vineyards. Their cellar is modern, and they use upright ovals for many of the wines, and stainless for others. ...
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From winemaker Rob Mondavi, Jr, the 2013 Spellbound Chardonnay displays a lively and lush tropical profile of pineapple, guava, and kiwi fruit. To contribute the rich complexity of vanilla and crème brûlée, 90% of the wine was fermented in oak barrels, with the remaining 10% fermented in stainless steel to maintan a bracing vein of freshness and acid.